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THE WOODLANDS, Texas – The American Heart Association, the world’s leading nonprofit organization focused on ensuring long, healthy lives for all, has named Ben Bentley, Executive Vice President, KiwiWit Corporation, as its 2022 Montgomery County Heart Walk Chair.
In this role, Bentley was charged with a $400,000 fundraising goal to support the lifesaving work of the American Heart Association. Through corporate sponsors and donors, the Association is working to change the landscape of employee health and engagement, impacting the communities where our greater Houston workforce lives and works.
There is a strong business case for this approach. Workplace stress is as harmful as smoking, and US workers are among the most stressed in the world. A recent survey found that 78% of people say that stress at work affects their mental health. Work-related stress increases the risk of cardiovascular disease by 40%.
“Building a culture where employees thrive is a business imperative,” Bentley said. “The American Heart Association’s approach to employee wellness helps business leaders promote health and wellness for a healthy and happy workforce. As work continues in a post-pandemic world, and as leaders reassess their strategies around environmental, social and governance issues, this is more important than ever.
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The American Heart Association’s Heart Challenge® is a collection of activities and initiatives, including the Heart Walk, designed to help companies make a positive impact on the overall health and well-being of their employees. The program is structured around a series of customizable workplace events where employees can be more engaged, connect with colleagues, get physical, support great work, and have a lot of fun doing it.
Movement is a vital part of our mental and physical health. The American Heart Association recommends 150 minutes of activity per week. The Heart Challenge campaign is designed to inspire people to find opportunities to move every day, encouraging employees to move and sit more. Starting small and being consistent can add up to big changes in the long run.
The Montgomery County Heart Challenge culminates Nov. 12 with the Heart Walk at Northshore Park, The Woodlands, and the community unites in celebrating health and honoring survivors. Bentley joins other like-minded executives working to increase physical and mental health, fight burnout and increase community engagement.
“In their lifetime, people spend more than 90,000 hours at work. That’s more than one-third of their lives spent thinking, working, and driving toward work goals — time that spills over into their personal and family lives and ultimately affects the communities around them,” Bentley said. , companies and small businesses have a responsibility to their employees and communities to focus on their mental, physical and emotional health. One way we do that is by supporting the American Heart Association and using their resources to help our employees develop healthy habits, reduce tobacco use, improve sleep habits and create a more inclusive work environment. it is.
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Other heart-challenging events in Montgomery County include CycleNation®, a high-energy, experiential, stationary cycling event that puts the brakes on stroke and heart disease. This year’s cyclization is scheduled for spring 2023. The company also holds field days throughout the year, which help put a level playing field in the workplace by raising vital funds to stop heart disease and stroke. Whether in the company office or in home offices, employees engage in physical and mental challenges that provide meaningful social interactions and play breaks during the workday to help ease stress and anxiety.
“We spend more time working than any other activity other than sleeping. It’s important to find ways to manage stress and build healthy habits,” said Kelly Armstrong, vice president of development for the American Heart Association’s Gulf region. “When people feel good, they do their best. Research shows that workforce health and wellness programs that are well designed, fully implemented, and rigorously evaluated improve employee health, productivity, and retention. Through the Houston Heart Challenge and this year, through Ben’s leadership, the American Heart Association It is making great strides in improving safety and engagement.
Funds raised at all Heart Challenge events fund the American Heart Association’s mission to be a sustainable force for a world with longer, healthier lives by addressing system-level policies to reduce health disparities. In Montgomery County, the funds support community impact work to address nutrition security, hypertension, women’s health and CPR. These have been identified as key priorities in greater Houston and will advance the association’s work to achieve its 2024 health equity impact goal, which will reduce barriers to health care access and quality.
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To learn more about engaging your workforce in Heart Challenge events or to join Ben Bentley and other executives, visit MontgomeryCountyHeartWalk.org or contact Lisa.Fenley@heart.org for more information.
The American Heart Association is a constant force for the world to live longer and healthier lives. We are committed to ensuring equitable health in all communities. We fund innovative research, advocate for public health, and share life-saving resources with the help of millions of volunteers, in partnership with dozens of organizations. The Dallas-based organization has been a leading source of health information for nearly a century. Connect with us at heart.org, Facebook, Twitter or by calling 1-800-AHA-USA1.
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